A survey in Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper makes interesting reading on Alberta’s growing love affair with oil sands, even though they know it is causing immense damage.
“They love all the jobs that the pay dirt has created and the handsome quality of life it has bestowed. They say these things, like any honest addict coming off a high, knowing they’ll regret it later” says the paper.
“They also complain that relentless development in oil sands has hiked the cost of living, degraded the environment, contributed to climate change and is stealing water from future generations.”
The survey finds that 60 per cent or more of Albertans say that oil sands is hurting the planet and about half said if the current pace of development continues, there won’t be enough fresh water to meet the needs of people and businesses in the province down the road.
This hypocrisy presents a good campaigning opportunity especially in relation to Premier Ed Stelmach’s government, which sees no need to slow down oil sands development. vulnerable. “The environment is a huge vulnerability to Stelmach,” Tim Woolstencroft, managing partner of the Strategic Counsel, that undertook the research. “The opposition parties have yet to capitalize on it.”
So should environmental groups..